April 27, 2023

Morocco imports 1 million head of cattle and sheep

The Moroccan government is planning to import 1 million head of cattle and sheep for the upcoming Eid Al Adha festival at the end of June, Morocco World News reported.

Rachid Benali, President of the Moroccan Confederation of Agriculture and Rural Development (COMADER), said the country has set aside four million head of livestock for the religious holiday, but an additional one million head is needed to meet consumer demand.

The imports would help boost the nation's red meat market and stabilise skyrocketing prices.

There is a marked increase in demand for livestock in the weeks leading up to Eid Al Adha, which drives up the price of red meat, especially if there is a shortage of livestock.

Morocco has promised to implement measures to increase the supply of livestock, including increasing imports from other nations, as well as market regulation to ensure that the cost of livestock and red meat remains reasonable.

Following a meeting between Aziz Akhannouch, the head of government, and representatives of industry insiders from the red meat industry, the government announced last week that a total of 32,000 head of cattle and sheep had been imported into Morocco since February.

Akhannouch said the Moroccan government has implemented a number of emergency measures to ensure the stability of red meat prices, restore the sector's balance, and temporarily increase the herd.

-      Morocco World News